Finding Comfort
by lRainDropsl
Summary: Cole and Phoebe are the best of friends since high school. And their friendship takes a turn when a new lover of Phoebe enters their lives. Cole has a secret that he’d kept from Phoebe for over a decade, and she’s about to find out. Complete
1. Default Chapter

Finding Comfort  
  
Written By: Mystical Forest  
  
Copyright © 2003 by Mystical Forest. All rights reserved.   
  
Date written: 3/22/03  
  
A/N: This story is based on Alyssa and Justin relationship. Their relationship has inspired me to write this story, and it is not to poke fun at them or anything. It's just a story. Nothing in this story contains anything that relate to their relationship except for the age difference.  
  
P.S. The Charmed Ones do not exist in this story, neither are the sisters. Phoebe's an only child. No magic, nothing.  
  
Summary: Cole and Phoebe are the best of friends since high school. And they friendship takes a turn when a new lover of Phoebe's enters their lives. Cole has a secret that he's kept from Phoebe for over a decade, and she's about to find out.   
  
  
  
The night was still young and club hopping was just one of Phoebe Halliwell and Cole Turner's many favourite hobbies. They've always done things together ever since high school. They met when Phoebe, whom at the time was 15, moved to Los Angeles with her dad, because of work related. She wasn't a stranger to popularity, but at one of L.A's preparatory schools, she was an outsider. No friends, no acquaintances, no boyfriend, just lots and lots of unknown preppy people.   
  
Then arrived one afternoon, Phoebe was walking into the cafeteria with a drink in hand and she bumped into a quite tall boy and splattered the drink all over which had stained her favourite white sweater, which accented her body wonderfully.  
  
"Ah! Watch where you're going!" She yelled angrily, extended her arms out, trying to avoid touching her wet sweater.  
  
"Oh, I—oh, I'm so sorry." The boy said, looking desperately apologetic. "Here," he grabbed some napkins from the people who sat on the table next to him. "I'm sorry, if it makes you feel any better, I'll pay for it.  
  
"Forget it." She grunted. "No money can replace this sweater. My boyfriend got it for me before I left."  
  
"Oh, I didn't know." He uttered, "You're the new girl right?"  
  
"Who wants to know?" She asked sardonically, trying to dab the napkin onto the sweater.  
  
  
  
"Just asking."   
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What school did you come from?"  
  
"Carter High."  
  
"Never heard of it."  
  
"It's in New York."  
  
"So you're from New York?"  
  
"What did I say?"  
  
"It must be cool to live in New York."  
  
"Better than you snobs down here."  
  
"Hey, not all of us are."  
  
"Did I direct it at you?"  
  
"Hey, I was just trying to be nice. I don't need your attitude." He declared. "That's what's wrong with you New Yorkers; you think you're so tough."  
  
"Whatever. That's total bs." She dismissed his comment, and continued to rub on her sweater.  
  
"You're never going to get that out, you know."  
  
"Yeah, thanks to you."  
  
"I apologized."  
  
"Next time try to look where you're going." She retorted, throwing the napkins into the trash and brushed past him, heading for the ladies room  
  
"At least tell me your name!" He called after her, but she just waved her hand and ignored him completely.  
  
From that day forward it was a start of an unusual but wonder friendship, they'd became inseparable. Everywhere they went, they always managed to bump into each other. It was like fate was pulling them together, but one of them kept pulling away every time they were close.   
  
Days, months, years, had passed and Cole couldn't still believe they were still friends, especially with Phoebe's hot temper. However he didn't mind it. He thought it was cute. He even enjoyed it, every time Phoebe got angry, her cheeks flushed a little and she looked adorable.   
  
He'd never forget their first encounter, he liked her from that moment and had made every attempt to see her and talk to her. But, he always got shut down. Nevertheless, he'd never give up. He'd learned why she'd acted the way she acted.   
  
Months before, her father, Madison and herself left New York her mother was in a car accident, the driver was drunk and the car had jumped the curb. The drunk's hit her car, and she died instantly. It was a hard and devastating time for both her father and herself. Her mother was her best friend; she could talk to her about anything and everything. There was not a single thing about Phoebe that her mother didn't know about.   
  
"I'm sorry," Cole sadly apologized. "I know how you feel. I lost my father a year ago to my crazy mother, who's now safely locked up in a lunatic asylum by the way."  
  
"What happened?" She quietly asked.  
  
"My mom was always an insanely jealous person, and one day my dad came home late because he had dinner with a colleague, who was this young woman, he told her about the dinner, and she went insane and claimed that he was cheating on her and the next day I came home from school, there were polices on my lawn, and news casts. It was a disaster. They told me my father was shot in the head twice and a neighbor heard all of the commotions and the gun shots and called the police."  
  
They both had found comfort in each other from then on. They'd share all the good and bad moments together. They went to the same college, and after graduating they became roommates and nothing more.  
  
"This is a great club." Said a wavy-haired brunette dressed in a tight pair of black pants with a red tube-top to match. "How'd you find it?"  
  
"From a friend." A masculine voice answered, who looked to be in his early twenties.  
  
"You don't mind Cole coming along do you?" She turned to her male companion.  
  
"No, not at all." He replied.  
  
"Great. He won't be in our way." She said, and gave him a peck on the lips, just before a tall figure approached them.  
  
"This is nice." It spoke.  
  
"Isn't it?" She turned toward the tall figure. "Cole, why don't you go and check out some girls."  
  
"My view from here is perfect." Cole replied, leaning against the wall, with his arms folded, reluctant to move. Part of the reason was he didn't want Phoebe and her friend to be alone. He didn't like her friend from the moment he met him and he wasn't about to now.   
  
"Cole!" Phoebe elbowed him and gave him a look, indicating she wanted to be alone with her friend, Justin Tilman.  
  
He didn't like him partly because he was six years younger than she was, and he had a secret crush on her, ever since their first encounter. He was going to ask her out after they became closer, but every time he tried to he got choked up because he was afraid that it might ruin what they have, a friendship. His number one rule was to never date a friend.   
  
"C'mon, let's dance." Phoebe excitedly commented, before pulling the hand of her new friend onto the dance floor, while Cole stood there full of jealousy 


	2. Part 2

A month went by quickly and things between Justin and Phoebe were starting to heat up and get serious, and Cole was not a happy camper when Phoebe told him that. Of course he didn't show his feelings, but in his head, he was pissed off at Phoebe. He knew she wanted a serious long-term relationship, but he couldn't understand why it had to be Justin. They shared nothing in common, except for the love of club hopping…however, Cole and Phoebe also shared that, and many more. He really had to admit, Justin wasn't the first boyfriend of Phoebe's that he had been jealous of. Ever since Phoebe and he became close every single one of the boyfriends Phoebe ever had, he always wanted to chase them away, or thought they were not good enough for her, or just wanted to smack them upside their heads. He recalled: it was Phoebe's first serious relationship since she moved, and he had scared him away.  
  
"Cole! How could you do that?" A younger Phoebe shrieked. Her face was red with anger. "I can't believe you, Cole!"  
  
"Phoebe! I thought he was cheating on you." Cole said.   
  
"You thought, Cole, you thought!" Phoebe stretched the point. "That's not a good enough excuse to chase away my boyfriend!   
  
"I'm sorry." He apologized, half-heartedly. "I didn't mean to. I just saw some guy that looked like him and assumed it was him. I didn't mean it."  
  
"What the hell did you say to him?" Phoebe asked astounded by what he'd done.  
  
"I said: if he doesn't break up with you then I'd smash his head, and use his brains as food for the tigers at the zoo" Cole slowly answered.  
  
"Oh my gosh," Phoebe punched him hard in the arm. "I can't believe you." And she walked away huffing and puffing with madness.  
  
She had stayed mad at him for over a week, and he couldn't stand seeing her mad at him like that. He felt guilty for what he did, but it just had to be done, well...at least in his point of view.  
  
"Hi!" Cole slickly saluted Phoebe, coming up behind her.  
  
"What?" She snapped, swirling around and shut her locker.  
  
"Did I mention that I was sorry?" Cole pouted, and surprised her with a box of chocolate that he hid behind his back. "Really sorry."  
  
She enticingly stared at the chocolate box before answering.  
  
"No." She answered in resistance to her temptation, before the bell rang.  
  
"You've got be kidding me." Cole exclaimed. "You're resisting chocolate?"  
  
"Cole, I really need to get to class." Phoebe tried to move past Cole, but he blocked her way. "Cole, get out of my way, you're blocking the hallway."   
  
"I don't care." Cole replied, bluntly. "Accept my apology, and my chocolate, then I'll move."  
  
"Cole!"  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
  
  
"Fine!" She snatched the chocolate then walked off with an amused smile on her lips.  
  
Till this day, Cole still seemed to have not grown out of that stage.  
  
On a late Friday night, Phoebe was getting ready for her date. She was standing in from of the mirror posting different postures and smiles. Sighed heavily, she stomped her foot and turned to Cole.  
  
"What are you so nervous about?" Cole asked, annoyed. "It's just a date."  
  
"I just have this feeling that tonight's the night." Phoebe answered excitedly with a hint of anxiety, while putting on her earrings and dabbed perfume behind her ears.   
  
"For what?" He questioned blandly, popping a peanut in his mouth.  
  
"As if you didn't know."  
  
"I don't, tell me."  
  
"Cole, stop playing stupid with me." She said, irritated by Cole dumbness.  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Do you have a problem with Justin and me?"  
  
"No, no." Cole shook his head, with a sarcastic look on his face. "No, why would you think that?"   
  
"Because I know you, Cole." She simply answered. "You have problem with me dating him because he's younger than me."  
  
"Nope, see that's where you're wrong." Cole defended himself, "I could care less about your relationship and Justin for that matter."  
  
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Just as she said that, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Okay, that's Justin." Phoebe grabbed her purse and pasmina, and turned the door knob. "Bye, don't wait up."  
  
Sighing in aggravation, an idea hit Cole's mind, and a sly smile formed on his lips. He got up from the couch and marched to Phoebe's room and went through the nightstand and got her address book and then started making phone calls.  
  
At Justin's place, Phoebe and Justin were getting intimate and suddenly the phone rang.   
  
"Sorry, gotta get that." He said, pulling away.  
  
"Again?" She asked, irritated by the phone calls.  
  
"It might be important." He answered and went to answer his phone while Phoebe fell back down onto the big mattress and let out a sigh.   
  
"This is not good." She told herself, four phone calls in the past ten minutes. "This just isn't meant to happen." She then realized she'd gone about this the wrong way. She wanted a real relationship not a fling. She wanted to have someone who was there for her and who she can rely on, and Justin was just too young for her. He'd just barely stepped out into the real world and he had a whole life ahead of him.  
  
A moment later, Justin returned back to Phoebe who was putting on her clothes.   
  
"What are you doing?" He asked, dumbfounded.  
  
"Getting dressed." She answered.  
  
"But, we haven't done anything yet."  
  
"Exactly." She said, "I think it's best if we don't." She explained. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."  
  
"Why?" He asked in confusion. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. It's just I don't think it's fair for me to hold you back from enjoying your life, you're still young. I'm on the other hand; I'm ready to settle down." She said. "Bye Justin." She gave him a kiss and let herself out.  
  
Thirty minutes later, Phoebe arrived home, looking miserable. She quietly locked the door, threw her purse and pasmina on the couch, then walked into her room and reclined on the bed, before Cole walked in.  
  
"Heard you come in." He said, sitting down on the edge of her bed.  
  
She gave him a puppy dog look and sat up. He came closer to her, and asked her: "What's wrong, it didn't go well?"  
  
She looked at him and replied:   
  
"No,"   
  
"Do you know what you need?" He asked her.  
  
"What?" She replied with lack of enthusiasm, picking on the seam of the cover.   
  
"A real man." He looked at her intensely in the eyes.  
  
"Where do you suppose I'll find that?" She asked sarcastically.  
  
"I know one."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Who?"  
  
  
  
"Me."  
  
Surprised by his last word she made sure if she heard it right. "You. You. You?"  
  
Said nothing, he leaned in and kissed her softly and cupped her cheeks.  
  
Pushed him away with cautions, she looked at him and puzzled. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Showing you what a real man's like."  
  
"You," She pointed at him, "a real man?"  
  
"Is that so hard to believe?" He asked offensively.  
  
"You're not real man. You're a pig." She laughed and pushed him off.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He got defensive. "I have you know I'm ladies man. Meaning, I have eye for only one special gal."  
  
"Lanie, Casey, Nathalie…" She started counting.  
  
"Okay, okay." He grabbed her hand. "But, I don't care for any of them. I care about you, Phoebe." He looked her deeply in the eyes, and leaned to give a more powerful kiss.  
  
She pushed him away again, and said:  
  
"I'm flattered, I really am. But, I don't want to ruin our friendship.  
  
He then responded:   
  
"It won't." And started kissing her again, however she pulled away, again.   
  
"Cole, no."  
  
Nodded his head in understanding, he got up with a slight expression of humiliation and walked out the door. 


	3. Part 3

Remaining in her bedroom, Phoebe pulled the cover up to her chest and bit her bottom lip. Taking in a deep breathe, she then exhaled heavily, and pouted her lips. She had to admit she did like it…the kiss, but--but something in her just made her push him away for some unapparent reason.   
  
  
  
She had dreamt of what it would be like to kiss him ever since she could remember, but starting a relationship and taking things to the next level never really crossed her mind. She did have a crush on him, but she thought it was only because she lived with him for too long, and he was the only one that understood her well. Nevertheless, she never had any idea of Cole's interest in her, except for his constant habit of chasing after her boyfriends; however she thought he was only being protective of her—too protective.  
  
Over in Cole's room, he closed the door behind him. And pulled his shirt over his head which exposed his six pack, nicely shaped along his abdomen. He angrily threw the shirt on the carpeted floor and removed his pants, which only left his with his boxer.  
  
He flipped the cover up and climbed into bed while cursing to himself. He'd made such a fool out of himself.   
  
"I should've known." He bitterly spat. He thought she was going to return his love, but instead she threw it back into his face.   
  
Why did he have to go and do that? Why did he have to go and make a fool out of himself? "She doesn't want you!" He told himself. "She doesn't love you."  
  
Mumbling stuff to himself, he drifted away clutching the blanket to his chest. And soon morning arrived, sooner than expected.   
  
Waddling out into the kitchen, Phoebe, in her robe, saw Cole standing there making pancakes with only a pair of boxers and a tee. She admired the view for a second and walked on. It wasn't the first time she'd ever seen him like that, but somehow, today she thought it was adorable. He looked hotter for some reason. Maybe it was the kiss that made her think like that. Maybe it was his feeling for her that made her think like that. It doesn't matter.  
  
"Hey." She greeted, awkwardly walking to the refrigerator to get an orange juice bottle.  
  
"Hey." He greeted back without making eye contact.  
  
Stayed in silence for a moment, they started making small uncomfortable conversations before Cole told her he had to go and she didn't bother to reply and just ate her breakfast.   
  
Things were cooling down between them but still, Phoebe couldn't look at Cole straight in the eye when they talked. There was still that awkward moment every now and then. Sometimes they could read each other's thoughts and knew what was going on in each other's head and that only made things worse. And it freaked her out that Cole had feelings for her, and she couldn't say or do anything.  
  
She knew she had hurt him, but it's not like her to apologize, but if she were to apologize what would she say? "Cole, I'm sorry but I don't love you?" She was not about to apologize for making him feel bad because she didn't feel anything for him, or think that she didn't feel anything for him.   
  
Cole had started dating again, and things were getting stranger between the two. Phoebe has been more distant. She wouldn't say anything or have any opinion on Cole's dates when he asked her about them. He was just trying to get things back to normal and making them feel comfortable again around each other.   
  
"Phoebe, what's wrong?" Cole asked, one night, while they were watching TV.  
  
She looked at him with gloomy eyes, and answered: "Nothing. Why? What makes you think something's wrong?"  
  
"Because, I know you." Cole responded, knowingly. "Something's up, come on spill."  
  
He knew something was wrong with her ever since he started dating again. Something was different. She wasn't the person she used to be anymore. More moody than usually. "PMS." He would think. "No, couldn't be it." Even if it was the time of the month, Phoebe doesn't show it.   
  
"Phoebe," Cole took her hand, "Is there something I should know?"   
  
"No, Cole. There's nothing. G'night, Cole." Phoebe said, and then quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek, ignoring the temptation to kiss him further and headed for bed.  
  
Again, she left him confused and frustrated. He could have sworn he felt something from her, but she just pulled away. He could feel the aura around her, the vibe that was beating through her veins, but she just wouldn't let it free.  
  
In her bedroom, Phoebe rolled out onto the bed and hugged a pillow closely to her, thinking.   
  
Cole had been on her mind all night long, and nothing else. He has been the subject of her mind ever since he expressed his feeling. She smiled to herself at the memory of Cole and her lying on the beach when they were on spring break in their freshmen year of college. They had gone to Miami, Florida, Phoebe was tanning and Cole was lying next to her.   
  
And there was a group of hot guys standing just two dozen feet away from her chatting up about something. Phoebe looked interestedly over her shoulder drooling over one of the guy. He was blond, about 6 feet, well-build, greenish-gray eyes, and with a nice tan. Just the perfect guy for her.  
  
"Check him out." Phoebe sheepishly whispered to Cole, whom was busying memorizing her. "Cole, go away."  
  
Taken aback by this, Cole hurtfully questioned: "What?"  
  
"He's coming." Phoebe whispered, "He's going to think I'm with you. Go!"  
  
"Fine." Cole replied sharply, then got up, and an idea struck him. He decided to pull the string of her bikini top as she got up, and took off.  
  
Gasped in surprised, she shrieked and put her arms over her chest: "Cole!" Which gave the blonde the impression as if Cole was her boyfriend. He then pretended that he wasn't headed her way and went for the girl that was lying just a few feet from her.   
  
She'll never forget that moment, that was just one of the most stupid things Cole had ever done, and it was the most memorable things he had ever done.   
  
Clinging the pillowing tighter and the cover closer, she smiled to herself at the memory. 


	4. Part 4

Now the table had turned. Cole was now out dating, and Phoebe sitting back home alone on a Saturday night. She was now jealous of Cole's date. Wishing it was her. "What does this mean?" She asked herself. "Am I falling for him? Or have I always have been, but just too distracted to notice." She tried to date others but, they just don't seem to meet up to her expectation. Even if she tried to ignore all of her expectations and give the guy a chance, something else popped up, like the she kept imagining Cole's face on all of her dates. It was like she was becoming delusional. Probably that was why all of her dates never asked her out for a second date. She was in la la land.   
  
There was this one date she has really been excited about. It was an amazing date, until she called out the wrong name at the wrong time.   
  
Phoebe and her date were in her room, and they were making out, when suddenly she moaned out, "Cole."   
  
"Crap!" She thought to herself.  
  
"What did you say?" Her date asked in astonishment.   
  
"I'm so sorry." She apologized. "I didn't mean to."  
  
He just gave her a weird look and walked out of the apartment.  
  
"Well, there goes another one." She thought, falling back onto her bed.  
  
Cole date wasn't going so well either, all of them. All on his mind was Phoebe. Imagining her smiling at him, in the way she had smiled at her past boyfriends. Not friendly, but with feeling. And how wonderful it would be just to hold her in his arms.  
  
"Cole" His date called. "Are you listening?"  
  
"Huh?" He turned back to reality. "Oh, that's wonderful Cassidy."  
  
"Really?" She asked, in a mocking tone. "What did I just say?"  
  
"How you—how you just love the brownness of the horses." Cole stupidly answered.  
  
"Good bye, Cole." She quickly got up and left.  
  
Without protesting, he just waved his hand and threw the breadstick that he had in his hand onto the table, and called the waiter. "Check please."  
  
Back in the apartment, Phoebe was watching an old video tape of him and her in a play, Romeo and Juliet. She was picked as Juliet and he was her Romeo. What was funny about this play was the school was so strict; they didn't even let them kissed. So instead of kissing her on the lips, he kissed her on her cheek. She smiled through out the whole thing; they had messed up some of the lines, and made up their own. She laughed hard at it she didn't even hear Cole came in.  
  
"What's so funny?" He asked, standing at the door.  
  
Turned her head around, she smiled at him replied: "Just watching the tape of Romeo and Juliet."  
  
"What's so funny about that?" Cole asked, hanging his coat on the coat rack.  
  
"Do you remember when we did the balcony scene, and you couldn't remember the line and you just made up your own because you never could remember the speech?"  
  
"Yeah." Cole chuckled. "I got detention for a whole month for embarrassing the school. It's their fault for thinking I had potential." He then took a seat next to Phoebe. "Didn't I write part of the speech on the back of my hand?"  
  
"Yep. And still you messed up." Phoebe laughed harder, watching the part where she was standing on the balcony resting her cheek on her palm and looking up heaven-ward.   
  
"I wish I was the glove to touch thy cheek." The television blurred out.  
  
"What the hell Cole?" Phoebe continuously laughed.   
  
"I couldn't remember the stupid line." Cole said in defense, but still laughing along.   
  
"What about you?" Cole turned the table. "O Romeo, Romeo, where are you now Romeo." He imitated her.  
  
"Shut up." Phoebe elbowed him in the stomach.  
  
"That's a famous line. How could anyone mess up on it?"  
  
"You think it's easy to stuff millions of old English lines into your head and remember it?"  
  
"It wasn't millions."  
  
"Whatever." Phoebe said blushing. "I got a week of detention for the stupid line."  
  
"O Romeo, Romeo, where are you now Romeo." Cole looked up toward the ceiling and mocked her again.  
  
She pushed Cole and then stomped to her room, and locked the door, leaving Cole outside laughing helplessly. "C'mon I was just kidding." He yelled toward her room and continued to watch the rest of the tape. 


	5. Part 5

The rest of the night was peaceful, and they were back to normal and things were more relaxing. Some things were still in the air, but nonetheless as long as neither of them brought up the subject things couldn't be any better.  
  
"Good morning." Cole greeted with a mouthful of cereal, as a half-asleep Phoebe dragged herself out to the kitchen.  
  
"Is that my Post Strawberry cereal?" Phoebe asked staring down at Cole's bowl.  
  
"Um um." He shook his head.  
  
"Give me that." Phoebe snatched the bowl and grabbed his spoon.  
  
"Hey." He said, licking his lips. "That was uncalled for."  
  
"Well, then get your own cereal." She said, taking a seat.  
  
"Hey, you remember Hannah Salavan?" Cole asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.  
  
"You mean the girl that had a crush on you in junior year and asked me to hook you two up?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm going out with her tonight."  
  
Phoebe expression suddenly changed and gave Cole a weak smile. "Oh."  
  
"Heard she's an executive producer at some big company."  
  
"Wow."   
  
"What happened to that guy that you wanted to go out with so much?" Cole asked, pretended to be interested. He knew all her dates didn't go further than the first date, but he wanted to know how she was doing.  
  
"Um, he wasn't my type." Phoebe lied, tabbing her fingers on the table.   
  
"Phoebe no one is your type. You need to loosen up." Cole advised. "You don't want to end up an old maid do you?"  
  
Gritted her teeth, she gave Cole a fake smile.  
  
"Just haven't found Mr. Right." She answered, while stirring her cereal.  
  
"Who's Mr. Right?" Cole quizzed.  
  
Pursed her lips together, she shrugged her shoulders and stayed in silence.  
  
The day has gone by quickly and the date went great and Cole has invited Hannah to the apartment. They were laughing and talking about old times.   
  
Phoebe, who was sitting in her room looking down at her fingers and playing with them could hear them giggling outside. Sighed deeply she dropped her head down on the pillow and covered her ears.   
  
She remembered one of her own memory: it was their high school graduation party she and Cole were invited to a party. Half way through the party Phoebe had gotten so drunk she decided it would get more interesting if she got on the table and started dancing…which she did. What made it worse was that she had worn a really short skirt that had shown all her access, and a top to go along with it. All the guys were rooting for her and so were the girls.   
  
Sitting in the hallway alone, Cole heard all the rooting and hooting in the living room and decided to investigate. To his horror, he found his best friend about to remove her clothes on the table and perverts trying to touch her.   
  
Rushing over to the crowd, Cole pulled Phoebe down from the table and one of the perverts angrily blurted out:  
  
"Hey, what are you doing man? The party just got started."  
  
Turning around Cole swung his fist into the guy's jaw which made him fly back and crashed into the crowd.  
  
Everyone gasped, and Cole ignored it and swung Phoebe over his shoulder and tried to pull her shirt down to cover her butt.   
  
"Cole, put me down!" Phoebe protested, kicking her legs trying to break free.  
  
Finally they got to his car and he settled her down on the seat and slammed the door shut. Gotten into the passenger seat he then turned to Phoebe angrily.  
  
"What the hell did you do that for?" Phoebe demanded, fuming.  
  
"What the hell were you doing?" Cole shot back. "Do you have any idea what you were about to do in there?"  
  
"I was just having fun." Phoebe pouted.  
  
"Apparently a little too much." Cole said. "I'm taking you home."  
  
"I can't go home." Phoebe stated. "My dad can't see me like this."  
  
"Fine, then my place." Cole scoffed. "I'm surprised you still have enough brain left to think about your dad."  
  
"Shut up." She leaned her head against the window and squinted her eyes. "Why does the light have to be so bright?"  
  
Cole didn't answer, but instead he just stayed silent through the whole ride and looked at her once in awhile. She was asleep by the time they arrived to Cole's apartment, and he carried her in. 


	6. Part 6

The next morning her head was throbbing in pain and she couldn't remember anything after Cole had put her in his car. She recalled waking up on Cole's bed and found him sleeping on the floor all curled up because he didn't have an extra blanket.   
  
Just before her memory ended, she heard Cole saying: "Bye" to Hannah and the door closed. On a whim, Phoebe decided to get up and head out into the living room. Although her mind didn't want to, her heart was thinking the opposite. It has dragged her out and she blurted Cole's name. He turned around and smiled at her.   
  
Smiling back there was a spark in her eyes. Cole could see the feeling that he had wished he would see in her smile.   
  
"You need something?" Cole asked, breaking the silent.   
  
Shaking her head she gazed upon him for a second. Suddenly a rush of tingling energy shot through her veins and unknowingly to him she grabbed him and started kissing him.  
  
Caught off guard by her spontaneous action, he kissed her back forcefully and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to the couch, without breaking the kiss.   
  
For all he knew, this could just be a one time thing. And suddenly the word "just" has troubled his mind. Pulled her away slowly, he looked at her and asked "What are you doing?"  
  
"I don't know, but I like it." She replied out of breathe then grabbed his face and kissed him again.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" He mumbled, while still locking lips with her.  
  
"Let's talk about that in the morning." She huskily demanded, and continued kissing him.   
  
"No, Phoebe." Cole immediately pulled away. It had taken some self-control for him to move away from her. "I need to know if this is just a one time thing."  
  
"I don't know." Phoebe answered, honestly.   
  
"Then what are you doing?" Cole asked, "Don't do this if you don't know what you're doing." He continued, "Spare me the time from moping over you, Phoebe."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Phoebe uttered.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about."   
  
"I—I don't." Phoebe answered, moving away from him.  
  
"Stop hiding your feeling, Phoebe!" Cole shouted imperatively. "Can you just embrace it and admit how you feel?" He grabbed her back and forced her back against the sofa.  
  
"Cole. Stop it." Phoebe cried out. "You're hurting me."  
  
"Stop what?" Cole interrogated. "Stop hiding my feeling?" He roared, "Yeah, I did that, and you know what happened? You threw it back in my face!"   
  
"Cole, I--" Phoebe stuttered, looking down.  
  
"You what?" He forced her face up to look at him.  
  
"I do care about you."   
  
"In what way." Cole hesitatively asked, almost afraid to hear her answer.  
  
Swallowed hard, she leaned in and softly kissed Cole, and from that, it turned to a powerful yet passionate kiss. Nothing was on either of their minds except for the fact that they were in each other's arms.   
  
The next thing Cole knew, they were in his room and Phoebe was sleeping peacefully in his arm.  
  
Propping himself up to his side, he caressed her shoulder and kissed it. Swept her hair behind her ears, he leaned in closer to her ears and whispered: "I love you."  
  
  
  
Stirred by those words, she fluttered her eyes opened then turned facing him and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"What'd you say?" She quietly asked.  
  
"I said: I love you." He repeated, pronouncing every word with perfect clarification, and kissed her neck, then her lips.  
  
"I love you, too." She whispered, smiling at him sweetly.   
  
Smiling back at her, he pulled her in for a warm embrace.   
  
It was what he had hoped for. She had returned his love and nothing could bring him down now. The girl he had secretly loved for over a decade finally gave in to him. He only wished it was sooner, but all in all, things worked out and she was now his.  
  
The End 


End file.
